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I was covering the annual Hindu religious procession to mark the Shiva Gajan festival in Kolkata when I took this picture of the two babies lying side by side.

In the festival, holy men touch the head, face, chest, belly or legs of children with their feet to give blessings. It is quite a unique tradition.

Parents hope the practice will ensure their children’s health and prosperity.

I saw a few women carrying their babies to be blessed by the holy men wearing flower garlands.

A couple of the women had placed their children on the road. I shot this image of the toes of a holy man touching the eyebrow of a crying infant while another child, facing in the opposite direction, watched quietly.

The festival is celebrated every year in two Indian states, West Bengal and Tripura, the day before the last day of the Bengali calendar. Devotees offer prayers in the hope of winning the gods’ favour and having their wishes granted.

A similar ritual is a feature of Chatt Puja, another Hindu festival.

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Slideshow

15 Apr 2015. BATANAL, India. REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri

A girl watches as a Hindu holy man touches a child with his foot.

13 Apr 2015. KOLKATA, India. REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri

Hindu holy men place their feet on the body of a boy.

15 Apr 2015. BATANAL, India. REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri

Children lie on a road as holy men walk by, touching them with their feet.

14 Apr 2015. BATANAL, India. REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri

A devotee’s arm is pierced with nails.

14 Apr 2015. BATANAL, India. REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri

Hundreds of devotees offer sacrifices and perform acts of devotion. A devotee is nailed to a cross.

14 Apr 2015. BATANAL, India. REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri

Devotees hope to win the favour of Hindu god Shiva and have their wishes granted.